Dimensional Codex System: I'm really not a cultist!

”This should be the place...”

Kohin glanced at the flyer in her hand, then looked at the Red Ponytail beside her, who nodded.

At the moment, they were standing outside a restaurant, not because they were hungry, but because while investigating those strange rumors in Kamihama City, Madam Yakumo had recommended they come here for information...

”Alright then, sorry to bother...”

While muttering to herself, Kohin carefully pushed the door open, but then...

”Welcome to the Chinese Restaurant Wanwansui!”

Accompanied by a lively voice, a girl with side pigtails suddenly jumped out, leaping in front of Kohin and shouting loudly, which surprised Kohin.

”Eh? Um...”

”Ah!”

Seeing the flyer in Kohin’s hand, the side pigtail girl immediately broke into a big smile.

”So you’re a Magical Girl too, please come in, come in!”

”Ah, yes...”

Faced with the side pigtail girl’s aggressive recruitment-like enthusiasm, Kohin nodded blankly, then walked into the restaurant with Red Ponytail.

The interior of the restaurant seemed somewhat similar to those Chinese eateries often seen in Japan—except these were places where Japanese mistakenly think they are Chinese cuisine.

After all, Chinese people wouldn’t put garlic in dumplings and wouldn’t pair dumplings with rice or ramen...

”May I take your order?!”

”Um... I’ll have a bowl of...”

At this point, Kohin instinctively glanced at the Red Ponytail sitting beside her.

”Two bowls of ramen, please.”

”Alright, please wait a moment!”

After saying this, the side pigtail girl cheerfully ran into the kitchen, and then sounds of ding ding dong dong clang clang ah ah ow ow ee ee ya ya came from within...

”Sorry for the wait!”

While saying that, the side pigtail girl brought out a large bowl, then another, and another...

”I didn’t expect a Magical Girl to come because of the flyer; it makes me really happy. Oh, by the way!”

As she placed the food in front of the two, the side pigtail girl cheerfully introduced herself.

”I’m the strongest Magical Girl from the Chinese Restaurant Wanwansui, Yubi Kurono, nice to meet you!”

”Ah, my name is Tamaki Iroha, and this is...Red Ponytail.”

While speaking, Kohin nodded at Red Ponytail, a name she had only learned after talking with Red Ponytail. After Red Ponytail regained consciousness, Kohin had asked her name, and her reaction was to shake her twin ponytails, so Kohin guessed several times before getting it right...even though it’s not really a name.

”...Um, I thought I only ordered two portions of ramen?”

Looking at the fried rice larger than her face and the stir-fried vegetables beside it, Kohin was puzzled, while Red Ponytail just silently stared at the food in front of her.

”Ah, don’t worry, this is the Magical Girl discount package!”

This kind of discount exists...

”And they’re all large portions...”

”No, these are regular portions.”

”...Huh?”

Hearing Yubi Kurono’s response, Kohin looked up at the smiling side ponytail girl, then lowered her head to examine the bowl that seemed large enough to fit her entire head inside.

”Well then... I’ll start.”

While speaking, Kohin picked up some noodles with her chopsticks and put them in her mouth—while Yubi Kurono watched her with a cheerful grin.

”How is it?”

”Eh?”

Faced with Kurono’s question, Kohin’s gaze drifted slightly.

”Um, well... it’s delicious?”

”Really? Then how would you rate it?”

”Eh... let’s skip the rating...”

Kohin’s expression was inexplicably complex, while Yubi Kurono stared excitedly at her, smiling brightly.

”Come on, tell me, how many points? What score would you give our food?”

”Uh... three...”

Kohin hesitated for a moment.

”...Fifty points?”

”Fifty points?!”

Hearing this answer, Yubi Kurono was so surprised she stepped back, crashing into the table behind her.

”Ah, no, I didn’t mean it like that!”

Seeing this, Kohin hurriedly explained.

”I mean ordinary, ordinarily delicious! Look, fifty points is still half, right...”

”Bang!”

However, just as Kohin finished speaking, there was a loud noise beside her. The two were surprised and turned to see Red Ponytail putting down the now-empty large bowl, then standing up to walk into the kitchen, standing before the stove, reaching out to point at the pot, and looking at Yubi Kurono.

”?”

”What do you want to do?”

Watching Red Ponytail’s actions, Kohin and Yubi Kurono were a bit puzzled. Then Kohin clapped her hands.

”Ah, maybe, maybe Little Hong also wants to cook something...”

”Really? Please go ahead!”

Upon hearing this, Kurono enthusiastically nodded, and after receiving permission, Red Ponytail immediately took ingredients from the fridge, started a fire, heated the oil, chopped vegetables, and stir-fried meat in one go, taking less than a few minutes. Red Ponytail emerged from the kitchen and brought out a dish made with chicken, cucumber, peanuts, and chili...

”This, this is...!”

Upon seeing the dish, Yubi Kurono stood up as if struck by lightning.

”...Kung Pao chicken?!”

”Click.”

Without saying a word, Red Ponytail placed the Kung Pao chicken on the table. Soon, a delicious and spicy aroma wafted over, causing both Yubi Kurono and Kohin to involuntarily swallow.

”It smells so good... Can I try it?”

......

Faced with Kurono’s inquiry, Red Ponytail nodded. Both Kohin and Kurono picked up a pair of chopsticks, took a piece from the plate and put it into their mouths, then...

”—————!”

Kohin’s eyes instantly widened.

”It’s so good!”

On the other side, Kurono seemed to collapse on the ground as if entirely drained of strength.

”I lost!”

”Ah...”

Seeing Kurono kneeling on the ground as if enveloped by a shadow, Kohin reached out, not knowing what to say. However, just as she wanted to say something to comfort the other, she saw Kurono lean towards Red Ponytail and kneel.

”Master Red Ponytail, please accept me as your disciple!!!”

”Eh—————!?”

At this, Kohin was utterly stunned.

After a chaotic moment, everyone finally calmed down.

”I’m really sorry. You kindly treated us to lunch, yet we...”

”It’s okay, and besides, I got myself a master because of it. That’s a good thing.”

Yubi Kurono waved her hand smiling, appearing completely unconcerned.

”But I’m really sorry, I don’t have much information about rumors and such...”

During the meal, Kohin explained their purpose to Kurono, including the bizarre ”Breakup Stairs” incident they encountered earlier and that strange creature that didn’t seem like a witch. This piqued Yubi Kurono’s curiosity, but as she said, Kurono herself didn’t have much information on these matters.

”Ah, right, I know someone investigating these matters; I’ll ask them for you.”

Saying this, Yubi Kurono took out her phone, took a deep breath, and pressed the call button. Soon, the call connected, and Kurono quickly picked up her phone, walking to the side.

”Ah, hello, it’s me, long time no see. Um... there’s a kid investigating these rumors... What?! It can be done?! Really, really?! That’s great!”

Ecstatically hanging up the phone, Kurono turned to look at Kohin and Red Ponytail.

”Kohin, Master Red Ponytail, let’s meet up with her now!”

”Okay!”

By now, Kohin also felt energized. No matter what, at least they finally had a lead, right?

However, when the two followed an ecstatic Yubi Kurono to the meeting place, they found someone familiar standing before them...

”It’s you again.”

Nanami Yachiyo looked at Kohin and Red Ponytail, sighing helplessly.

”I’m going back.”

”Wait, Master Yachiyo!”

Seeing Yachiyo turning to leave, Kurono lunged and grabbed her.

”Don’t go ahhh!!”

Finally, with Kohin’s explanation, Kurono understood what was going on.

”What, so Master Yachiyo and Kohin knew each other already, what a coincidence.”

”Yes, regarding the ’Breakup Stairs’ incident we mentioned, we also received her help.”

Kohin looked a bit anxiously at Yachiyo, while Yachiyo seemed to give up under Kurono’s relentless pursuit, no longer intending to leave. Instead, she sat in a chair, carefully observing Kohin and Red Ponytail before her.

”I originally came here thinking there might be new information, but it turns out to be a bust.”

As she spoke, Yachiyo also sighed helplessly. After all, Kohin and Red Ponytail had met her just yesterday, and naturally, there wouldn’t be any new information.

”But anyway... I’ll share what I have then.”

At this point, Yachiyo took out a notebook from her bag and opened it.

”What I’m currently investigating is the rumor about the Word Spirit Shrine, which is also a rumor that started circulating recently.”

”Word Spirit Shrine?”

”That’s right. According to the rumor, if you’re looking to retrieve a memory or find someone, you should visit Word Spirit Shrine, write the person’s name on an ema, and perform the traditional ritual of prayer. This will allow you to meet that person you’ve been longing to see.”

”Is there really such a thing?”

Upon hearing this, Kohin’s heart was immediately stirred. The person she longed to see was her sister. Does that mean, by going to that Word Spirit Shrine, she could meet her sister?

”I investigated, and indeed, some people claim to have seen them.”

”Really?!”

”If that’s true, then it’s amazing.”

Hearing this, both Kohin and Kurono became excited while Red Ponytail continued silently sipping her cola, saying nothing.

”But after seeing them, none of these people continued to update or speak out. It’s quite possible they vanished like before with the Breakup Stairs.”

”Is that so...”

Upon hearing this, Kohin also frowned. If the Breakup Stairs creature had anything strange about it, it was that after being defeated, those who disappeared could still come back unharmed.

This is quite different from a witch because witches would normally devour people, and once caught, there was virtually no hope or chance of survival. In the Breakup Stairs incident, many kids had been missing for several days. If such a thing happened with regular witches, they’d probably have eaten them whole.

However, after defeating the Rumor Witch of the Breakup Stairs, it could somehow allow the missing people to return — although they lost their memories, everything else was normal, which was indeed puzzling.

”In any case... let’s start by investigating first.”

Saying this, Yachiyo closed her notebook and stood up.

”According to where the rumor originated, the Word Spirit Shrine should be somewhere in this area.”